PLOS Pathogens

Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic bacterium that takes advantage of patients’ weakened immune systems to cause pneumonia, wound infection and sepsis. A common cause of infection in veterans and other hospital patients (hence its nickname of “Iraqibacter”), multi-drug resistant strains…

What research news captured the most attention in 2017? As we did for 2016, we’re reflecting on some of the most popular articles highlighted on PLOS Research News this year, with topics ranging from bioluminescent fish to smart watches to…

A new PLOS Pathogens study describes how dengue virus may cause blood vessel leakage. Researchers conducted a battery of tests to pin down the mechanism by which the virus causes this potentially fatal damage. Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral disease…

Reengineering immune cells may help fight HIV Researchers have made several attempts to reengineer T cells, a type of white blood cell, to fight HIV, but none have been successful enough for widespread use. Now, Rachel Leibman, a Ph.D. candidate…

Geckos using narrow tree perches have longer limbs than expected Some lizards, notably anoles, that use narrow perches in trees have evolved shorter limbs. This correlation is likely due to biomechanical trade-offs between sprint speed, balance and limb length, suggesting…

Cancer-causing Viruses May Use MicroRNAs to Alter Tumor In cancer cells, metabolic pathways tend to be rewired to enable rapid proliferation and tumor growth. One such change is known as the Warburg effect—an alteration in the glucose breakdown process that…

Dogs, wild animals and sand flies in protected area in Brazil carry Leishmania parasite Infected sand flies can transmit the Leishmania parasite through their bites, potentially leading to leishmaniasis, a parasitic infection that can be fatal to humans. This infection…

H7N9 bird flu mutations could enable spread between humans In a new PLOS Pathogens study, researchers analyzed genome mutations that could occur in the H7N9 strain of avian influenza, which occasionally infects individual people but does not spread between humans.…

Scientists ID human protein essential for human cytomegalovirus replication Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), a highly prevalent herpesvirus, infects over 30 percent of people worldwide. While most remain symptom-free, HCMV can be dangerous or deadly for people with weakened immune systems or for…

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a bacterium that can cause devastating lung infections in cystic fibrosis patients. It lives with multiple other microbes in biofilms in these patients’ airways, and is resistant to many antibiotics. Hui Wu and colleagues at the University…